| General Description | Pinus roxburghii is an evergreen coniferous tree that belongs
to the Pinaceae family. It has a straight trunk with branches arranged in whorls up to a pyramidal or umbrella-shaped crown. The tree has very long needle-like leaves that grow in clusters of three, and its cones are large and woody. |
| ID Characteristic | The three key identification characteristics of P. roxburghii are its
needle-like leaves arranged in clusters of three, its large cones that can reach up to 30 cm in length, and its pyramidal or umbrella-shaped crown when young. |
| Shape | This species has a pyramidal or umbrella-shaped crown when young, but it
may become more irregular and open with age. |
| Landscape | P. roxburghii is commonly used for its timber, as well as for reforestation. It is also planted in parks and gardens as an ornamental tree. |
| Propagation | P. roxburghii can be propagated through seeds, typically collected in
late autumn or early winter when they have matured and fallen from the cones. The seeds should be soaked in water for 24-48 hours to soften the seed coat and then stratified in a cold, moist medium (such as sand or peat moss) for 2-3 months at temperatures between 2-5°C. After stratification, the seeds can be sown in containers or directly in the ground in spring, and should be kept well-watered until they are established. |
| Cultivation | P. roxburghii grows best in full sun and well-drained soil with a pH range of 6-7. It is drought-tolerant and can adapt to a range of soil types, including sandy, loamy, and clay soils. It is susceptible to pine wilt disease and may also be affected by pine bark beetles. |
| Pests | Common pests of this species include pine bark beetles, which can cause
significant damage to the tree. It may also be affected by pine wilt disease and other fungal diseases. |
| Notable Specimens | Mediterranean house at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston, United States.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, England.
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| Habitat | Native to the Himalayas, the Chir Pine can be found in a range of habitats, from subtropical to temperate forests at elevations of up to 2,700 meters. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The bark of Chir Pine is up to 7 cm thick and scaly. Young bark is reddish with a dark brown, grey to black colour when mature. Mature bark is
also deeply furrowed into longitudinally fissured long plates. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | The buds are small and covered in brown scales. |
| Leaf Description | The needle-like leaves of P. roxburghii are arranged in clusters of
three and are typically 22-45 cm in length. They are light green in colour and have sharp tips. While the species is generally considered to be evergreen, the plant has a habit of shedding its needles in response to dry conditions, which has led some observers to question its evergreen status and suggest that it may be deciduous in certain circumstances. |
| Flower Description | As a gymnosperm, P. roxburghii does not produce true flowers, meaning it produces seeds without enclosing them in an ovary. Instead, it produces male and female cones. The male cones are small, oval-oblong-shaped structures that produce pollen, while the female cones are larger. |
| Fruit Description | The female cones are initially green and turn brown when they
reach maturity at about two years. The fruit is a large woody cone that can reach up to 30 cm in length and 15 cm in width. The cone contains numerous seeds, which are dispersed by wind. |
| Colour Description | The Chir Pine has light to dark green foliage throughout the year. The bark colour varies from reddish to dark brown, and becomes grey in old
age. The cones are light brown at maturity. |
| Texture Description | P. roxburghii has a medium to coarse texture, which remains consistent throughout the year. |